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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25047361">The Goose and the Mirror</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReleasingmyInsanity/pseuds/ReleasingmyInsanity'>ReleasingmyInsanity</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Geese of Sesame Street [7]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Sesame Street (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Alternate Universe - The Soulmate Goose of Enforcement, Aromantic Character, Aromantic Female Character, Asexual Character, Asexual Female Character, Bechdel Test Pass, Canon Character of Color, Female Friendship, Food mention, Gen, Women Being Awesome</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 10:22:40</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,489</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25047361</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReleasingmyInsanity/pseuds/ReleasingmyInsanity</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>When geese bring you to your soulmate, what happens when you’re aro/ace and don’t want a soulmate?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Geese of Sesame Street [7]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1036148</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Goose and the Mirror</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> “I’m home!” Susan Robinson called as she opened the front door.</p><p>“We’re in Miles’ room, be right there,” Gina called back.</p><p>Susan gestured to her friend to go ahead and sit down as she closed the door and set down her keys.</p><p>“Mommy!” Miles came running out of his room excitedly.</p><p>“Hi Susan,” Gina said, following Miles out the door.</p><p>“Thanks for watching Miles for a few minutes,” Susan said to Gina, picking up her son and giving him a hug.</p><p>“No problem,” Gina said, trying to hide her curiosity about Susan’s friend.</p><p>Susan smiled. “This is my son Miles, and our friend Gina,” she told her friend. “This is Jennie.”</p><p>“Hi!” Miles said brightly.</p><p>“Hello Miles, I’ve heard so much about you.” Jennie said. Gina admired how soft-spoken she was.</p><p>Jennie then turned to Gina and extended her hand. “Hello Gina, it’s nice to meet you.”</p><p>“Nice to meet you too,” Gina said, shaking Jennie’s hand.</p><p>“Jennie used to live nearby,” Susan said, setting down Miles so that he could play some more.</p><p>Jennie nodded. “Living in the city didn’t feel right to me so I moved to be somewhere quieter. It lets me focus more on my art.”</p><p>“You’re an artist?” Gina asked.</p><p>“She’s an excellent artist,” Susan said. “She’s here because she has a big show opening tomorrow.”</p><p>“Well,” Jennie said modestly, “I wouldn’t say it’s a big show, just a few pieces. But I am proud of them.”</p><p>“As well you should be,” Susan told her. “Your work is wonderful.”</p><p>“I agree,” came a voice from the doorway.</p><p>Miles went running across the room. “Daddy’s home!”</p><p>Gordon scooped his son up off the floor and gave him a big hug. “Hi Miles!” Still holding Miles, he walked the rest of the way into the room and kissed Susan hello. “Hi Gina.”</p><p>“Hi,” Gina said.</p><p>Setting Miles down, Gordon gave Jennie a hug. “It’s good to see you, Jennie.”</p><p>“Good to see you too,” Jennie said as she returned the hug.</p><p>“You should see Jennie’s artwork,” Susan said to Gina. “It’s incredible.”</p><p>“Thank you,” Jennie said, sounding a little embarrassed.</p><p>“You’ve always been too modest about your talent,” Gordon told her. “Miles and I will get out of your way now,” he added as he helped Miles into his coat. “We’re still taking Jennie out for dinner later, right?”</p><p>Susan nodded. “Yes, and Bob is coming too.”</p><p>“Can’t wait. Ready to go to the park, Miles?”</p><p>Miles grinned up at Gordon, “Ready, Daddy!”</p><p>Miles and Gordon waved as they headed out the door. Susan picked up a basket of fabric from next to the couch and Jennie took more out of her bag.</p><p>“What’s all that?” Gina asked.</p><p>“We’ve been making a quilt together long distance,” Jennie told her. “And we’ve finally gotten enough made to put it together.”</p><p>“You can stay and help if you like,” Susan said.</p><p>Gina smiled. “I’d love to help. Thanks.”</p><p>Susan brought out cookies and tea from the kitchen and sat down with her friends as they began going through the embroidered squares and threading quilting needles.</p><p>“There sure are a lot of geese to go on this quilt,” Gina said with a giggle.</p><p>Susan smiled. “Well, there are a lot of goose stories.”</p><p>Gina examined the patches with geese stitched onto them. “Is this one Bob and Linda?” She asked, pointing at one that also featured the ILY sign.</p><p>“It is indeed.” Susan pointed at one embroidered with eight different geese. “Here’s the day that Bob’s goose decided to make sure we all knew we were his soulmates.”</p><p>There was a patch representing Susan and Gordon’s goose day. And one for the day they learned that Bob was Susan and Gordon’s soulmate as well. And there were still more patches. One for each of Bob’s other soulmate reveals.</p><p>“We had to make sure to include every goose story for each of Miles’ three parents.” Jennie said.</p><p>Gina laughed. “Of course. What’s this one?” She asked, pointing at a square that contained appliqués of a goose and a standing mirror.</p><p>Jennie smiled. “Ah. That square is <em>my</em> goose story.”</p><p>“Oh yes, do tell Gina that story.” Susan said. “I think she’ll appreciate it.”</p><p>“Would you like to hear it?” Jennie asked Gina, a happy note in her calm voice.</p><p>“I always want to hear a good goose story,” Gina said. “I’d love to learn about your goose day if you want to tell me.”</p><p>“I would be happy to.” Jennie said. “I lived a few streets away when Susan, Gordon, and Bob moved in. After Susan and I became friends, I started to spend more time here on Sesame Street.”</p><p>“Were you here for Susan and Gordon’s goose day?” Gina asked.</p><p>“I was,” Jennie confirmed. “And their goose day with Bob as well. I didn’t see the one with Bob, but I was in the arbor for Susan and Gordon’s goose story. It was lovely to see how happy they were to be soulmates.”</p><p>“You were the one who took the picture of us weren’t you?” Susan asked.</p><p>Jennie nodded, “That was me.”</p><p>“I’ve seen that picture,” Gina said. “It’s so cute. Was that before or after you had your goose day?”</p><p>“It was before,” Jennie replied. “My goose story took place a few months after Susan and Gordon had theirs with Bob.”</p><p>“Who is your soulmate?” Gina asked.</p><p>Jennie’s smile turned a little mysterious. “Now that’s the interesting part of this story,” she replied. “You see, I am aromantic.”</p><p>“Me too!” Gina burst out excitedly. “Well, I’m on that spectrum anyway.”</p><p>“Now I understand why Susan said that you would appreciate hearing my story,” Jennie said.</p><p>Susan nodded, continuing to sew the piece of quilt she was working on. “I know you’ve been feeling a little left out when people talk about their soulmates,” she said to Gina. “And I want you to know that you aren’t alone in being aromantic.”</p><p>Gina hugged her, “Thank you, Susan.”</p><p>“You’re welcome,” Susan said, setting down her sewing to hug Gina back. “Jennie, are you going to continue your story?”</p><p>Jennie rethreaded her sewing needle and began.</p><p>“Susan and I had a regular day when we would sew together, and I was on my way here when I saw my goose. It was waiting for me at the end of the street.”</p><p>Gina smiled, recognizing the similar beginning to several other goose stories that she had heard.</p><p>“I walked up to the goose,” Jennie continued. “But I wasn’t sure if it was for me, so I waited for it to make the first move. After a moment the goose nodded and began to walk down the street. Naturally I followed it.”</p><p>“Where did it lead you?” Gina asked.</p><p>“Not very far,” Jennie replied. “I followed my goose into the arbor. No one else was around which puzzled me. But then I saw a standing mirror that had been left sitting against the wall. The goose led me up to it and then stepped to the side leaving me alone in front of the mirror. I looked at my reflection for a long moment. And finally, I understood. I began to appreciate myself in a way I never had before. I was my own soulmate, and I couldn’t have been happier with myself.”</p><p>Gina listened, eyes wide, entranced as Jennie finished her story.</p><p>“For some of us, self-love is the most important love there is. For me being happy with who I am makes me my very own soulmate. And I can think of nothing I would prefer.”</p><p>“That story was beautiful,” Gina said.</p><p>Jennie smiled at her. “Thank you.”</p><p>The phone rang. “Excuse me a moment,” Susan said. “That might be about the article I’ve been writing.” And she walked into the other room to answer it.</p><p>“I’ve been struggling with the idea of soulmates,” Gina confessed quietly to Jennie. “Everyone always tells me about their romantic soulmate connections. But romance isn’t what I want.”</p><p>Jennie nodded. “It’s hard when you’re aromantic in a culture that’s so focused on romance.”</p><p>“Exactly,” Gina said. “I do want a soulmate, but I want a platonic one. Like Bob and Maria. I’ve been so nervous that I’ll end up with a soulmate I don’t want. But after talking to you, and hearing your goose story, I’m not worried anymore. Whatever goose story I have one day, it will be one that is right for me.”</p><p>Jennie smiled at the younger woman. “I have no doubt that it will.”</p><p>“Is it okay if I hug you?” Gina asked.</p><p>Jennie laughed. “Of course.”</p><p>The two women hugged each other.</p><p>“Thank you for telling me about your goose,” Gina said.</p><p>“You’re welcome.”</p><p>Susan came back into the room and the three women returned to their quilting and cookies. And a few months later when Gina had her own goose story, the very first person she told, was Jennie.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p><em>Sesame Street</em> has been brought to you today by the letters J and G and by the number 1.</p><p>Jeannie was a recurring character in the first season. She’s a good artist and she and Susan like to quilt together.</p><p>I wanted Susan to step out for a moment so that Gina could talk to Jennie alone and a phone call seemed like a good way to do it. Arytra and I decided that Susan has written articles for medical journals and personal essays for women’s magazines, so she’s been working on one of those.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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